Dual roll feeding apparatus



J. A. HUBER ET AL DUAL ROLL FEEDING APPARATUS Feb. 4, 1969 Filed May 25, 1967 Sheet Feb. 4, 1969 1. A. HUBER ETAL DUAL ROLL FEEDING APPARATUS Sheet Filed May 25, 1967 www wmf

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INVENTORS.

w. m m N MP R AE m y T EH A A MN MH am m Feb. 4, 1969 J. A. HUBER ETAL 3,425,612

' DUAL ROLL FEEDING APPARATUS Filed may 25, 1967 sheet 5 'of INVENTORS.

@Emy/v E. BARI/veen EYJOHN A. HUBER AT TPNEYS Feb. 4, 1969 1. A. HUBER ET AL 3,425,612

DUAL ROLL FEEDING APPARATUS 'Filed May 25. 1967 INVETORS. BERLY/v E. BA R/NGEP m, JOHN A. HUBER ATTORNEYS United States Patent O Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A strip stock feeding machine having two sets of feed rolls that are positively driven by gears, with each set of feed rolls including one roll journalled on a pivotally mounted carrier that maintains the pivot point or pivot axis of the carrier at a constant distance from the center or rotational axis of the movable roll equal to the pitch diameter of the roll drive gears, so that the positive drive between the roll drive gears and the feed rolls is never lost 'as the movable feed roll in each set is pivoted to vary the opening between the rolls in each set to permit the feeding of various thicknesses of strip stock, and also to permit the use of only one of the sets of feed rolls alone or both sets together.

This invention relates generally to the strip stock feeding art, and more particularly to a novel and improved dual roll feeding apparatus for strip stock material.

Heretofore, some strip stock feeding machines have been provided with two sets of feed rolls with each set including a movable feed roll. However, a disadvantage of such prior art strip stock feeding machines is that the movable feed rolls were driven by universal joint connections between the power transmission system which connected the feed rolls to a power source. Such universal joint connection structure inherently causes vibrations in the movable feed rolls yand a lack of positive drive for the movable feed rolls.

The present invention provides a strip stock feeding machine which includes a first set of feed rolls and a second set of feed rolls which are spaced apart from each other, and wherein one roll in each set of feed rolls can be moved a small distance, or a large distance, from its mating feed roll to permit the feeding of strip stock of various thicknesses and yet provide the movable feed roll in each set with a positive driving action free of vibrations.

The movable feed roll in each set of feed rolls is mounted on a carrier means that is pivoted yabout the axis of rotation of an idler gear which is meshed with gear means on the shaft carrying the movable feed roll, whereby the movable feed roll is continuously in mesh with the idler gear at all times, and the carrier means is adapted to be pivoted and yet maintain constant pitch diameter of said gears to provide a positive, vibrationless drive to the movable feed roll.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and the accompanying drawings:

`In the drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a strip stock feeding machine made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, broken, enlarged elevational section view of one set of feed rolls employed in the invention, together with a portion of the drive train structure illustrated in FfIG. l, taken` along the line 2--2 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, elevational section vie/w of the drive train structure illustrated in FIG. l,

3,425,612 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 2- t taken along the line 3-3 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, broken, enlarged elevational section view of the other set of feed rolls employed in the invention, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, broken, enlarged elevational section view of the feed roll adjusting structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 5 5 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged, elevational section view of a portion of the drive train structure illustrated in FIG 1, taken along the line 66 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged, elevational section view of the feed roll adjusting structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 7-7 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to F'IG. 1, the numeral 10 generally designates a dual roll feeding machine which is adapted to receive strip stock material indicated by the numeral 11 from a prior strip stock processing machine, such as straightening machine, and feed the strip stock material 11 into another processing machine, such as a punch press, a power operated shears and the like. As shown in FIG. l, the strip stock material 11 enters the feeding machine 10 and advances through a pair of anti-back-up rolls 12 and 13, and then between a first set of drive or feed rolls 14 and 15. The strip stock material 11 next passes between the second set of feed rolls 16 and 17 and. thence into the next aforementioned material processing machine. The present invention is directed to the two sets of feed or drive rolls 14 and 15, and 16 and 17, respectively, and accordingly, the details of the other parts of the feeding machine have not been shown.

As shown in FIG. 2, the feed roll 15 of the first set of feed rolls is rotatably supported by -a first end shaft 18 in a suitable bearing means generally indicated by the numeral 19. The bearing means 19 is operatively carried in a vertical inner wall 20 of the frame structure of the feeding machine 10. The feed roll end shaft 1.8 is integral with the output drive shaft 21 of a gear type power transmission system which is in turn connected to a suitable power source, as more fully explained hereinafter.

The power transmission output shaft 21 is rotatably journalled on a pair of suitable bearing means, generally indicated by the numerals 23 and 24, which are operatively mounted on the machine frame walls 20- and 25, respectively. rPhe power transmission system includes a clutch drive gear 22 which is provided with an axial hub extension 26 that is adapted to be selectively coupled to the reduced end 27 of the shaft 21 by a suitable clutch means, as generally indicated by the numeral 28.

As shown in FIG 2, the feed roll 15 is provided with a second end shaft 30 which is rotatably supported in a suitable bearing means 31 that is operatively mounted in the outer frame wall 32 of the supporting frame for the feed machine 10. A suitable brake means, generally indicated by the numeral 33, is operatively connected to the outer end of the feed roll end shaft 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the clutch drive gear 22 is driven by a pinion gear 34. As shown in FIG. 3, the pinion gear 34 is provided with an end shaft 35 which is journalled in a suitable bearing means generally indicated by the numeral 36. The bearing means 36 is operatively mounted in the machine frame wall 25. The pinion gear 34 is provided with a second end shaft 37 on which is mounted a pinion gear 39, and it is journalled in a suitable bearing lmeans 40 that is carried in the machine frame wall 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pinion gear 38 is meshed with,

and driven by, a pinion gear 43 which is integrally formed on the drive shaft 44. The drive shaft 44 is provided with a first reduced end 45 that is rotatably mounted in a suit able bearing means 46 that is supported in the machine frame wall 25. The shaft end 45 is shown as being operatively connected to a hydraulic pump 47 for operating the same. The other reduced end 48 of the shaft 44 is rotatably mounted by a suitable bearing means 49 which is supported in the machine frame wall 20. The outer end of the :shaft 48 is connected to the output shaft 51 of an electric motor 52 by a suitable coupling generally indicated by the numeral 50. The electric motor 52 comprises the power source of the power transmission system for driving the dual feed rolls of the feeding machine.

As shown in FIG. 2, the feed roll is provided with a pair of gears 55 and 56 which are secured by any suitable means to the feed roll end shafts 30 and 18, respectively, in positions at the ends of the feed roll 15. The feed roll gears 55 and 56 function to transmit the drive power for the other feed rolls 14, 16 and 17, as described hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. l, the feed roll gear 56 is meshed with and drives the idler gear 57. As shown in FIG. 6, the idler gear 57 is operatively mounted on an idler gear shaft 58 which has one end thereof operatively mounted in the journal member 59 which is formed integral on the machine frame wall 20. The other end of the idler gear shaft 58 is operatively mounted in a detachable journal member 60 which is carried on the bracket arm 61. The bracket arm 61 is secured to the machine frame arm 62 which extends from the machine frame wall 20. The bracket arm 61 is secured to the frame arm 62 by any suitable means, as by screws 63. A cap member 64 is secured by the screws 65 to the outer end of the journal member 60 to retain the shaft 58 in place.

It 4will be understood that the feed roll gear 55 also drives a second idler gear which is identical to the gear 57 and mounted in a spaced apart position from the gear 57.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lower feed roll 17 of the second set of feed rolls is provided with a first end shaft 66 which is rotatably mounted on the machine frame wall by a suitable bearing means 67. The feed roll 17 is provided with a second end shaft 68 which is rotatably mounted on the machine frame wall 32 by a suitable bearing means 69. The feed roll 17 is provided with a pair of gears 66 and 67 which are mounted on the feed roll end shafts 68 and 69, respectively, by any suitable means, in positions at the ends of the feed roll 17.

As shown in FIG. 1, the idler gear 57 is meshed with and drives the feed roll gear 67 to provide a drive means for the feed roll 17. It will be understood that an idler gear identical to gear 57 is on the other side of the machine and drives the second feed roll gear 66 on the other end of the feed roll 17.

The upper feed rolls 14 and 15 of the two sets of feed rolls are driven from the idler gear 57 in the following rdescribed manner. As shown in FIG. 1, the idler gear 57 is disposed below and meshed with a second idler gear 74 for driving this second idler gear 74. As shown in FIG. 6, the idler gear 74 is journalled on an idler gear shaft 75 'which has one end thereof operatively mounted in the journal member 76 which is carried by the machine wall 20. The outer end of the journal member 76 is enclosed by the cap member 77 which is secured to the journal member 76 :by the screws 78. The other end of the idler gear shaft 75 is operatively mounted in the journal member 79 which is carried by the bracket 80 that is secured to the machine wall 20 by any suitable means, as by the screws 81. It will be understood that the other side of the machine is provided with an idler gear similar to idler gear 74.

As shown in FIG. 2, the feed roll 14 is provided with a pair of feed roll drive gears 82 and 83 which are mounted at the ends of the feed roll 14 on the end shafts 84 and 4 86, respectively. As shown in FIG. l, the feed roll gear 82 is meshed with and driven by the idler gear 74. The idler gear on the other side of the machine which is identical to the idler gear 74 is meshed with and drives the feed roll gear 83.

As shown in FIG. 2, the feed roll 14 is provided with a first end shaft 84 which is mounted in a suitable bearing means 89 `which is supported on a pivotally mounted lever 85. The feed roll 14 is provided with a second end shaft 86 which is mounted in a suitable bearing means 87 that is carried on a second pivotally mounted lever 88. The levers and 88 comprise a carrier means for the lower feed roll 14, and the pivotal mounting means for these levers will be described in detail hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 4, the feed roll 16 is provided with a pair of feed roll drive gears 90 and 91 which are mounted at the ends of the feed roll 16 on the end shafts 92 and 93, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the idler gear 74 is meshed with and drives the feed roll gear 90. The idler gear on the other side of the machine which is identical to the idler gear 74 is meshed with and drives the feed roll gear 91.

As shown in FIG. 4, the one end shaft 92 for the feed roll 16 is rotatably mounted by a suitable bearing means 94 on the pivotally mounted lever 95. The other end shaft 93 of the feed roll 16 is mounted in a suitable bearing means 96 which is carried by a second pivotally mounted lever 97. The levers and 97 comprise a carrier means for the upper feed roll 16, and the pivotal mounting means for these levers will be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inner ends of the levers `85 and 95 are pivotally mounted on t'he idler gear shaft 75. The lever 95 is provided with a yoke or slotted end to form a pair of bifurcated mounting arms 100 and 101 which are provided with the bores 102 and 103. Operatively mounted in the bores 102 and 103 are suitable bearing means 104 and 105, respectively, which are mounted about the idler gear shaft 75. The outer faces of the mounting yoke arms 100 and 101 are rounded, as shown in FIG. l. The inner end of the lever 85 is indicated in FIG. 6 by the reference numeral 106, and it is provided -with the bore 107 in which is mounted the bearing means 108 for mounting the lever 85 on the idler gear shaft 75 in a position between the lever mounting yoke arms 100 and 101. It will be understood, that the levers 88 and 97 are mounted in la similar manner on the other side of the machine on the other idler gear shaft which is identical to the idler gear shaft 75.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer end of the lever 85 is attached by a hinge pin 110 to a yoke 111 carried on the outer end of a cylinder rod 112. The cylinder rod 112 is operatively mounted in a uid cylinder generally indicated by the numeral 113, which may be of `any suitable type, as for example, an air cylinder. The upper end of the air cylinder 113 is attached by the hinge pin 114 to a mounting plate 114 which is fixed to the frame of the machine 10. The cylinder 113 is a doubleacting cylinder. It will be understood, that the lever 8S which carried the other end shaft 86 of the feed roll 14 is supported at its outer end by a double acting cylinder which is identical to the cylinder 113 and which acts in unison therewith.

It will be seen, that by means of the pair of doubleacting cylinders, as 113, the upper feed roll 14 may be lifted from -the lower feed roll 15 to provide a large opening therebetween, for the purpose of moving the feed roll 14 to an inoperative position, `or for the purpose of threading heavy strip stock material between the feed rolls 14 and 15. The pair of double-acting cylinders, as 113, also may be used to apply pressure to the sheet material being fed between the feed rolls 14 and 15.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer end of the lever 95 is attached by the hinge pin 116 to a yoke 117 that is carried by a cylinder rod 118. The cylinder rod 118 is operatively mounted in a double-acting fluid cylinder 119 which would be identical to the cylinder 113. The cylinder 119 is attached by the hinge pin 120 to a mounting plate 121 which is fixed on the frame of the machine 10. It will be understood, that the lever 97 is also provided with a double-acting cylinder identical to the cylinder 119 for pivoting the lever 97 in unison with the lever 95 to move the feed roll 16 to an open p-osition spaced apart from the feed roll 17, and also for exerting pressure on strip stock material being fed between the feed rolls 16 and 17. The pair of cylinders, as 119, would function in the same manner as the pair of cylinders operating the levers 85 and 88 carrying the other upper feed roll 14.

As described hereinafter, `each of the upper lfeed rolls 14 and 16 is provided with a power means for moving these feed rolls a small distance :apart from their mating feed rolls and 17, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the feed roll lever 85, Ifor the feed roll 14, is provided on the upper side thereof with an upwardly extended arm 124 which functions as a cam follower. As shown in FIG. 5, the other lever 88 which supports the other end of the feed roll 14 is also provided with a similar cam follower arm 124a. The cam follower arms 124 and 124a are adapted to be swung through small angles of rotation, for lifting the feed roll 14 small distances apart from the lower feed roll 15 by means of the structure shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cam follower arm 124 is engaged by a cam roller 125 which is mounted on the shaft 126. The shaft 126 is secured by the nut 127 in fa suitable bore on the arm 128. The arm 128 is carried on the hub 129 which is fixed by any suitable means as by the key 130 to the cam shaft 131. The cam shaft 131 extends across the machine and also carries a second cam follower 12511 which is mounted on the shaft 131 by a structure identical to that which carries the cam roller 125, and the sarne reference numerals have been used for sll'ch structure, followed by the small letter a. The weight of the feed roll 14 and its carrier means or levers biases the cam follower arms 124 and 124a into constant engagement with the cam rollers 125 and 125e.

As shown in FIG. 5, the c-am shaft 131 is operatively mounted in the journals 132 and 133 which are carried by the machine frame walls 32 and 25, respectively. One end of the cam shaft 131 is fixed by any suitable means as by the key 135 to the hub 134. The hub 134 is `formed on the lower end of a lever or arm' 136. The upper end of the lever 136 is provided with a bore 137 in which is mounted a suitable bearing means 138. Mounted in the Ibearing means 138 is a hinge pin 139 that connects the lever 136 to the arms 140 and 141 of a yoke 142.

As shown in FIG. 7, the yoke 142 is threadably mounted on the outer end of the cylinder rod of a double acting fluid cylinder generally indicated by the numeral 144. The head end of the cylinder 144 is attached by the hinge pin 145 to the mounting plate 146 carried by the frame of the machine 10, as shown in FIG. l.

It will be seen that when the double-acting cylinder 144 is operated, the cam' shaft 131 will be rotated to move the cam roller 125 in the desired rotational direction. The movement of the cam rollers 125 and 125a will rotate the arms 124 and 124:1 to raise or lower the feed roll 14 in the desired controlled manner.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lever -arm 95, for the feed roll 16, is provided with a cam follower arm 124 which is identical to the cam follower arm 124 on the lever 85. The other lever 97, for the lfeed roll 16, shown in FIG. 4, would also be provided with a lever arm 124g in the same manner as the feed roll lever 88 in the first set of feed rolls. The second set of feed rolls 16 and 17 would be provided with an identical cam operated power means for moving the levers 124 yand 124a on the levers 95 and 97, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the same reference numerals for the last mentioned cam operated power means have been used in FIG. 1 to indicate the same.

It will be seen, that the gear drive for the two sets of feed rolls operates the feed rolls in a positive manner as compared to the prior art universal joint type of connection means which is employed for connecting the prior art power drive means to a pair of feed rolls. It will also be seen, that the mounting of the Lipper feed rolls 14 and 16 on their respective carrier means provides a structure wherein the feed rolls 14 and 16 are always disposed with their rotational axis at a lconstant distance from the axis of rotation of the upper idler gears 74, whereby the feed roll gears for the feed rolls 14 and 16 are always running on a true pitch diameter. The positive gear drive for the feed rolls 1l4, 15, 16 and 17 provides a smooth operation to the machine, yet permits flexibility of use of the -two sets of feed rolls because of the novel mounting structure of the feed rolls. The positive continuous contact of the drive gears for the movable feed rolls 14 and 16 eliminates the possibility of vibrations in these feed rolls, regardless of the position these feed rolls are in, or the thickness of the strlp material .being rolled. It will be understood, that the aforementioned fluid cylinders for pivoting the feed roll carrier means may be operated in any desired sequence. The two sets of feed rolls may have to be provided with different roll surfaces. For example, one set as rolls 14 and 15, could have smooth surfaces for feeding, and the other set as 16 and 17, [could have a surface adapted to coat the strip material as it passes therebetween.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed .is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it lwill be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modifications, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A strip stock feeding apparatus having a first set of feed rolls and a second set of feed rolls spaced laterally apart from said first set of feed rolls for receiving strip stock fed from said first set of feed rolls, wherein the improvement comprises:

(a) one roll in each of said first and second sets of feed rolls being rotatably mounted on a fixed axis of rotation;

(b) the other roll in each of said first and second sets of feed rolls being rotatably mounted on fa pivotally mounted carrier means, and on an axis of rotation parallel to said first named axis of rotation;

(c) gear means on each of said one yfeed rolls for rotating the same;

(d) shaft means on said apparatus disposed in a longitudinal position parallel to the first two named axis of rotation;

(e) the carrier means for each of said one feed rolls having one end pivotally mounted on said shaft means;

(f) gear means on said shaft means and meshed with said gear means on each of said one feed rolls for driving the last named gear means;

(g) a power source;

(h) a power transmission system connecting said sounce of power to the gear means on said shaft means and to the other roll in each of said first and second sets of feed rolls for driving the feed rolls; and,

(i) power means engaged with each of s-aid carrier means for selective pivoting of each of said carrier means about said shaft means for selectively moving said one roll in each of said first and second sets of feed rolls relative to said other roll in each of said sets of feed rolls.

2. A strip stock feeding apparatus Ias defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said power transmission system comprising a gear train.

3. A strip stock feeding apparatus as dened in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said power means for pivoting each of the carrier means includes uid cylinder means connected to the other end of each carrier means.

4. A strip stock feeding apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein:

(a) said power means for pivoting each of said carrier means further includes:

(l) a rotatable cam means; and,

(2) Huid cylinder means connected to said cam means for operating the earn means to pivot each carrier means.

'5. A strip stock feeding apparatus as dened in claim 1, wherein:

(a) each of said carrier means comprises a pair of spaced apart levers which each have one end pivotally mounted on said shaft means, Iand each of said one feed rolls is rotatably mounted between a pair 'of said levers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,404,245 1/ 1922 Strand 226-177 2,032,260 2/1936 Chapman 226-177 X 3,014,628 12/1961 Littlehale 226-177 3,118,635 1/1964 Landsern 226-177 X ALLEN N. KNOWLES, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 226-188 

